A Historic Love
by ConsistentlyInconsistent
Summary: After an embarrassing discovery, Kagome realizes that she'll never be able to be with Inuyasha. Not being able to face him anymore, she enters Sesshoumaru's employ to warn him of events to happen in the future. Response to challenge by Fluffy's Lady
1. The Letter

AN: Hello all, FWA here with a new story based on a challenge issued by Fluffy's Lady. This is her idea/plot thingy, I'm just manipulating it as I see fit In case some of you haven't noticed (or you're a first time reader) I haven't updated anything else in a while and that's because I hit a bit of writer's block xx However! I think this is the perfect project to get me back on track! This is may be the only chapter I get out before I go on vacation with the fam next week, but hopefully I'll be able to get some writing done while I'm gone. It'll only be a week or so. Well, enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters (as much as I pray for it you'd think God would come through for me…of course, I don't think us sinners are at the top of that list –sigh- damned temptation…) I don't own this plot either. Inuyasha & Co. goes to Takahashi-dono and the plot idea goes to Fluffy's Lady.

A Historic Love

Chapter 1: The Letter

Laughter and happy sighs could be heard coming from one of the larger huts in the ever-growing village. Inside several women and a few children fluttered around a young woman standing on a small pedestal, tugging and tucking the material of the clothes she wore. Kagome let out another contented sigh as she watched the commotion that she seemed to be in the center of. The final alterations were being made to the kimono she would wear to her mating ceremony, which turned out to be very similar to a human wedding with only a few differences.

She looked away from the women that surrounded her to a full length mirror she'd brought from her time propping against the wall opposite her. The kimono was stunning, she had to admit. Everyone in the village was pitching in to help their hero's come together for their happily ever after. Her kimono was made of the whitest silk that almost seemed to glow and when she would move it would flow around her as if it had a life of its own. It was tied together with a light, powder blue obi that had small embroidery patterns of sakura petals done in a shimmering white thread. The same pattern ran along the hems of the kimono itself in a similar shimmering thread that matched her blue obi.

The white of the material greatly contrasted her long black hair. Between traipsing around feudal Japan and studying for tests back home she never had the time to cut it so it had grown considerably since her fifteenth birthday almost three years ago. It now grazed her hips and was a little straighter from the weight of the thick locks. Despite how much time she spent outdoors and in the sun she just didn't seem to develop a tan like some other people could. Her skin was forever like that of a porcelain doll; smooth and pale. She was surprised however, to find out just how much the light blues set off the dark blue of her eyes. The color vaguely made her think of her traveling days when she would wake before sunrise. On occasion, on mornings following a large storm, there would be a dark, wispy fog that would roll over the fields…she saw that same blue-grey in her own eyes right now.

Her stature hadn't changed much over the years though. Sure, she'd grown a few inches and was around 5'5" now, but that was as tall as she would likely get. With the height came a more proportionate figure; her curves finally seemed to fit her. Kagome thought back to all of the fitness classes that people from her era would take just to be a little more toned or lose a little weight. But who would have guessed that walking from one corner of Japan to the next and fighting off demons and bandits every few miles was the perfect workout?

As the fuss over her clothes continued and a talk about how she should wear her hair began (that she was not being included in), Kagome fell deeper into her memories of traveling with her hodgepodge-surrogate family. Memories replayed over how she met Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Jinenji, Koga, Sesshoumaru, Rin, so many others, and…Inuyasha. That thought brought a smile to her face. But then there was Naraku…and that thought took the smile away. The final battle had been about eight months ago, but she still remembered it like it had just ended.

They had all been there; the shard hunting group, Koga, even Sesshoumaru had shown up to help vanquish the evil that was Naraku. They had fought long and hard against Naraku, his incarnations, and the low-level demons he'd brought with him.

-Flashback-

Kagome looked around the battlefield assessing the damage her friends had taken. Surprisingly there wasn't much. Things had been going much smoother than any of them could have hoped. The weaker demons had been taken out with little effort and even the more powerful demons, such as his incarnations, seemed sluggish in their moves and attacks. She would have normally been happy that things were going so well, but the entire situation left a heavy, sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn't explain.

This wasn't how a pivotal battle between good and evil was supposed to be. Kagome may have been young, but most of her naivety had been stripped from her over the years. She knew that with great battles there would be great losses and great victories. Her inner child was telling her to be happy and that good really would always triumph over evil, but that sick feeling in her stomach was telling her brain that in a battle such as this, one expected to be of great magnitude, there was no possible way that one side that was greatly out-numbered would win with nothing more than a few scratches.

That's when her eyes landed on Naraku. He was sitting farther back, almost at the edge of their understood battlefield. This was the real Naraku, no dolls this time. She could see the almost complete Shikon Jewel resting around his neck. His face seemed relaxed like almost all of his forces he'd brought hadn't been destroyed. Looking back to her friends she saw that they were steadily pushing back their few opponents that were left back and closer to the devil himself, Naraku. But when she saw Naraku's calm face take on an evil smirk the proverbial light bulb came on above her head.

Several of the battle strategies used throughout history (or the future from this point on the timeline) came to mind. History had always been one of the subjects she'd never had any trouble in. It was always easier to defeat your enemy if they took on a false confidence and underestimated you…and what better way to achieve those desired feelings than a false retreat?

As Kagome felt the realization sink in she noticed tentacles coming from Naraku, slinking slowly across the ground seemingly unnoticed by her comrades. That's it! He was planning to suddenly absorb the incarnations and demons he had left for a sudden boost of power and attack everyone at once at close range.

"No! Get away from him!" Kagome screamed as she ran forward to her friends.

Confusion was evident in the expressions until they looked to the ground and saw the purplish-grey appendages snaking their way across the ground. Those with demon blood immediately took a great leap backwards while Kirara rushed to pull Miroku and Sango, as well as an unconscious and barely breathing Kohaku out of danger.

"What the hell Kagome? We were actually close enough to kill him that time!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Stupid half-breed," Sesshoumaru said, "you saw the tentacles. The girl likely just saved your pathetic life."

"He's going to absorb them." Kagome explained slightly out of breath from running to them. "He was going to gain just enough power to kill you all at a close range." Inuyasha had made her stay back until she was absolutely necessary to purify the jewel. She was just glad that Rin and Shippo had been left a safe distance away with Jaken and Sesshoumaru's two-headed dragon.

Kagome's warning to her friends had been the perfect distraction to not only her friends but Naraku's incarnations. They saw the tentacles coming for them, but for most it was too late. Kagura glared at Naraku as she avoided the tentacle meant for her, pulled a feather from her hair, and took to the skies. "You bastard! You said nothing about this!" Kagura screamed at her creator. "I hope the girl purifies you back to hell where you belong!" But as soon as the words left her mouth there was a tight pain in her chest. Kagura barely felt her feather dissolve out from under her. She plummeted to the ground and hit with a hard and solid thud.

Despite the injuries she sustained from her sudden fall, the pain in her chest was all Kagura felt at the moment as she writhed in pain on the ground. Naraku stood above her now, squeezing her heart tightly in his hand but not quite enough to kill her. "Dear Kagura," he spoke down to her with a morbid amusement in his voice, "did you really think I would allow a traitorous slave such as you get away?" And with that said his last visible tentacle reached out for the wind demoness.

What nobody expected was for an arrow surrounded by pink energy to speed forth and purify the tentacle before it reached the pain-stricken woman. Everyone turned to look at Kagome only to see her standing there looking just as surprised as the rest with her bow and arrows left where she was previously standing before her outburst. "I can forgive anyone who wishes your death, Naraku." A calm voice echoed over the battlefield.

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha whispered as he took a single, hesitant step forward.

Everyone else turned to see that it was indeed the undead priestess holding the offending bow, sting still slightly vibrating. "Kikyo," Naraku purred as he glared at the woman. "I was wondering when I would see you again. It seems you've saved me the trouble of hunting you down!" He yelled as he shot out several tentacles towards her.

"No!" Inuyasha screamed as he rushed forward already knowing that he wouldn't make it in time to save his first love.

Kikyo quickly pulled an arrow from her quiver and shot at the offending appendages, but narrowly missed one that would be her end. It swiftly stuck her in the chest and retracted just as Inuyasha reached her. Kagome wasn't far behind him and arrived just as Kikyo sank to the ground in Inuyasha's arms.

Kikyo lay calmly on the ground as the souls of dead women left her. "Kikyo…why? Why did you come here?" Inuyasha asked with confusion in his eyes as he watched her yet again die.

"Do not blame yourself, Inuyasha." She spoke softly with a sad smile. "I've already done that enough for the both of us. I came here expecting to die. As the previous guardian of the Shikon Jewel I cannot stand idly by as I watch it be used for evil. I'm releasing you from your promise to me; kill Naraku and live the life you could have never had with me." She said the last part as she glanced at Kagome. Moments later the last of her collected souls left her clay body and the small piece of Kagome's soul that had animated her floated out and into Kagome's chest.

Inuyasha looked up at Kagome as he smelled her tears. "So sad…" he heard her whisper. Then her expression turned from sad and pained to angry. "Inuyasha."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember what you, Sesshoumaru, and I talked about the other night?" Kagome asked as she picked up the bow and arrows Kikyo had been carrying.

"What about it? Do you think it'll really work?" He asked as he watched her wipe her eyes and stand up.

"Yes, I do. Take us back to the group and tell Sesshoumaru that we're going to try it." Kagome said in a serious tone as Inuyasha picked her up.

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha started.

"Save it, little brother, I heard what the miko said from here. Come, this has been allowed to continue for far longer than it should have." Sesshoumaru said as he walked forward as stoic as ever.

Naraku chuckled as he walked towards the trio, all but forgetting about Kagura. "And what do you three think that you can do to harm me? With this much of the jewel I'm basically unstoppable. Any damage you do, my body will quickly repair thanks to this little gem." A miasma began to slowly leak from his body as it covered the ground and filled the air. "And now you can't even get close enough to touch me!"

"Kagome!" Sango called as she threw her face mask through the air to the girl she'd come to see as family.

Kagome caught the mask and quickly tied it to her face. "Inuyasha," Kagome started in a low voice, "after I shoot you and Sesshoumaru know what to do." At seeing his nod, Kagome notched an arrow and concentrated to feel where the tainted jewel was through the thick miasma. When she found it she silently prayed to herself, 'please, please, please hit the mark. Kikyo, give me your strength and steady my hand.' And with that she let her arrow fly surrounded by a bright pink energy that purified the air it passed through.

Naraku had been laughing about his seemingly inevitable victory when he felt something lodge in his chest. He looked down to see the purifying arrow sticking out, still surrounded by its pure energy, but doing little damage to his already powerful body other than burns. "Foolish child, I already told you that because of the jewel's power and the dead demons of my body I will quickly regenerate. Not even your pathetic arrows will kill me!"

"Then it's a good thing the jewel's power is no longer within your control." Kagome responded simply as she looked to Inuyasha and nodded her head to continue.

Naraku looked down to see the pure energy of the arrow surround the jewel that was hanging closely and slowly start to purify the tainted orb. "No!" was all Naraku could say before Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru released the power of their inherited swords, Sesshoumaru's a living energy and Inuyasha's a killing blow, bringing every component of Naraku's body to life only to completely blow it away seconds later.

Kagome slowly walked forward to the small jewel that had caused so much trouble. It was still surrounded by the arrow's energy and had been almost completely purified by it now. It was lying on an area of the ground that was black and looked as though it had been burned. After leaning down and picking up the trinket she looked over to Miroku expectantly.

Miroku took the hint and pointed his cursed palm away from everyone as he cautiously removed his prayer beads from his arm with a shaking hand. Once he saw that nothing happened he turned his hand over and saw skin…not blackness…not death…not a purple cloth wrapped with beads, but his living skin. His chest tightened as he was trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. "It's gone…" he whispered.

With a smile on her face, Sango approached the monk and said, "What was that Miroku? I don't think everyone could hear you." Miroku looked up to meet her eyes with a look that told her for the first time in his life he was letting himself hope and dream for a happy future.

"I said he's gone! Naraku is finally dead and departed from this world!" He shouted as he picked Sango up and spun her around as he laughed. Upon setting her back down he pulled her close and kissed her for all he was worth shocking everyone, especially Sango who blushed furiously.

Kagome just watched the couple with a smile as she looked back to the nearly complete jewel in her palm then up to the sky as a few birds flew overhead singing a happy song. "It's finally over." She said with a heavy sigh.

-End Flashback-

Kagome reached up to her chest where the complete, pure jewel hung around her neck. She found herself doing this every now and then as though to check and make sure it wasn't all some dream. Kohaku had been treated and made a long, but full recovery and now lived with Miroku and Sango who had been married not long after the battle. They were expecting their first child in a few months.

She remembered Sesshoumaru pulling her aside after their return to the village and telling her that he was leaving Rin in her care from that point on. His reasoning had been that it wasn't fit for a human female child to be raised by a male demon and that she needed a mother. Kagome knew that even though he would never say it he cared deeply for the girl and it was a hard choice for him to make. Rin had been less than happy to learn of his decision, but had cheered up when he came to visit and check on her the first time after his departure. He would show up every few weeks to check on the girl and it was greatly helping both grow used to being away from the other.

Kagura had gotten away, which irked Koga and Inuyasha to no end, and there had been talk of hunting her down, but Kagome didn't think she was a threat anymore. She had hated her creator as much as any of them had and only wanted the same freedom as her element. Since Kikyo's clay body was made of her ashes it had been returned to her original burial site where Inuyasha would be spotted occasionally just looking to the sky as he talked to the grave marker.

A few weeks after the battle Inuyasha had asked her to take a walk with him and they had walked to the God Tree. The walk itself was quiet and a little tense, but not uncomfortably so. When they arrived at their destination Inuyasha sat in the grass at the tree's base and Kagome had sat down beside him waiting eagerly for what he had to say. He had talked about some of his hidden fears and inner struggles from before the battle, but said that he'd finally come to a decision. He finally told her the one thing she'd always wanted to hear from him; he'd said that he loved her and asked if she would want to spend the rest of her life with him in the village.

At first she'd been speechless, but when she found her voice she launched herself into his arms effectively knocking him over and chanted yes for about twenty minutes before they both returned to the village hand in hand, all smiles and giggles.

It was so surreal at first. Watching the hut being built that she would live in with Inuyasha, Rin, and Shippo; going to her era to say good-bye to her family and gather her things she would want to take with her like clothes, pictures, and things she was sentimental about; then finally standing here in her ceremonial kimono watching all the fuss with laughter in her eyes. She suddenly felt a tug on her sleeve and looked down to see Rin staring up at her with doe eyes filled with childish joy. "You look beautiful, Kagome-san." The little girl smiled up at her.

"Thank you, Rin-chan." Kagome returned the smile with one of her own.

"Kagome-san?"

"Yes, Rin-chan?"

"I think you should wear your hair down." Rin suggested as she looked over at the three women arguing and pointing at Kagome.

Kagome laughed as she saw Sango, Kaede, and the seamstress that made the kimono arguing about how she should wear her hair talking about elaborate buns and braids. "I think so to, Rin-chan…but I'll tell them that later." Kagome said with a wink.

* * *

  
Later that night Kagome was talking with Sango in the hut she and Miroku shared. Kagome was currently living there until the ceremony in a few days when she would move into the home she would share with Inuyasha. They were going through some of the things Kagome had brought from the future when Sango lifted up a polished wooden box. "Kagome-chan, what is this?"

"Oh, I'd forgotten all about that. My mother gave it to me and told me not to open it until the night before my wedding. I have no clue what's inside."

"Well, it might be a few days early, but let's open it now. I'm curious to know what your mother would send with you for your wedding."

Kagome looked at the box as she took it from Sango and thought for a moment. "Okay, what could it hurt, right?" She said with a smile as she opened the latch that kept it closed and opened the smooth lid. Both girls peered inside to see and assortment of things. There were picture of Kagome's family which Sango picked up to look at having never seen Kagome's family from her era before. There were rings with a note attached saying that they were her mother and father's wedding rings. There were a few other small memento's to remember her family by, but at the bottom of the box there was a letter sealed in a beautiful envelope.

While Sango continued to look at the pictures and other objects the box held, Kagome opened the letter and read what she knew to be her mother's handwriting.

_Dear Kagome,_

_If you are reading this then that means that you are getting married very soon. I just want to start by saying congratulations darling, you deserve your happy ending more than anyone else I know. You may not be in this time anymore but know that your family is always with you and that you can see us anytime you want with these pictures or come home if the well will allow it. I want to be able to see my grandbabies someday! I hope that you're happy dear and that your new husband treats you well. Never let anyone treat you like anything less than a princess. You are, after all, a descendant of a noble family…that was a long, long time ago of course._

_I'm not sure if I ever told you about this, but it would be a good story to pass to your children so I'll tell you now. Your ancestor was a beautiful woman and she had a twin sister. Her sister was betrothed to a man of good standing in another noble house, but she didn't love him. Then one day while she was gathering wildflowers in a nearby field she saw a demon. I'm told that he was exceptionally handsome and that despite him being a demon she fell in love with him at first sight (just like you did dear!). But she ran away from her noble home to be with her handsome demon lord. The story then goes on to say that she was to have his son but her family found her and brought her home. One of the vassal's to her family wanted to save her the shame of having a demon's child and killed her. But luckily her demon lover came to saver her and brought her back to life with his love for her. He then had to battle the vassal that killed her so she could live safely. The story ends saying that although her lover died in the battle she was happy just to have his son as something to remember their love by. The story of Lady Izayoi and her demon lover is a sad one, but has always been one of my favorites. It's so romantic!_

_Anyway dear, I hope that whatever path life takes you down leads you to happiness. And whenever life starts to get you down just remember that life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. I wish you all the best and remember that I will always love you._

_Love forever and always,  
Mom_

Once she reached the end of the letter all she could do was let her hands fall to her lap and the letter to the floor as she stared at the wall with large eyes…once she had finally thought she could plan her future around one thing fate decided to have some more fun at her expense.

Sango noticed that her friend had dropped her letter and was now just sitting, staring blankly at a wall. She tentatively picked up the dropped piece of paper and quickly read over the words written. Once she finished her eyes were wide too. "Umm…Kagome, isn't Inuyasha's mother's name—"

"Uh huh." Kagome answered quickly still staring at the wall with her hands in her lap.

"And his aunt is—"

"Yep."

"So that would make you—"

"Bingo…we're cousins."

* * *

  
AN: Well there's the first chapter I hope everyone likes it so far. Please tell me what you think; I'm open to any feedback. Anyway, I'm going to officially call all other stories on HIATUS. I might post a few more chapters of A Past Forgotten (for anyone who's reading that) because I already have a few more chapters written. I'm also going to be working on revising Sing For Me's current posted chapters so if you see that's been updated don't get your hopes up until I say in an AN that it's off hiatus, okies? Sorry if this announcement put anybody's panties in a bunch, but that's just the way it's gotta be for now. Also, I'm trying to spread awareness about the symptoms of different types of clinical depression because it can be very serious. Please read this article and educate family and friends: (www.helpguide. org/ mental/ depression(underscore)signs(underscore)types(underscore)diagnosis(underscore)treatment. htm)--minus the spaces of course. I go into more detail about thing in a blog posted on my myspace (God, I hate blogging…it makes me feel so damn emo lol)

TTFN FWA


	2. Shock

-peeks head from around corner- hehe…hi there, everyone –dodges rotten veggies, stones, and other projectiles- well, here I am again after scrapping chapter 2 twice with my 3rd attempt. This has given me so much trouble…well, here we go again.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters. I don't own this plot either. Inuyasha & Co. goes to Rumiko Takahashi and the plot idea goes to Fluffy's Lady.

Chapter 2: Shock

Kagome awoke the next morning and, with a stretch and a yawn, kicked her covers off to start her day. Seeing that Sango and the other inhabitants of the hut were nowhere to be found Kagome decided to set out to find the older girl she saw as a sister. "I have to tell Sango about that weird dream…pre-wedding nerves I guess." She mused aloud with a chuckle. "Why else would I dream that Inuyasha and I were cous-" But the sentence died on her lips and her face lost its morning flush when she saw the opened and discarded envelope lying with the rest of her things. "Oh hell…" She said as she thought back to the memory she was hoping was just a dream.

-The Previous Night-

"It's okay Kagome, I'm sure it's just a story." Sango comforted. "In your time this story has to be about…what? 700 years old? The chances of it being true are incredibly slim."

"I suppose you're right." Kagome quieted for a few moments before saying, "but my family has kept the tradition of oral folktales alive for generations. And all of the stories about the Jewel were true along with some of the other myths and legends that I grew up on…what if it's true, Sango?? What if I'm about to marry my cousin?!"

"Shhhh! Calm down, Kagome. If it is true, do you want to let the entire village know? Now let's think about this logically. Like we said, this tale has to be about 700 years old in your time. Think about how many generations there can be in 700 years. Even if it turns out to be the truth, then the actual blood that you share has to be diluted to the point of almost non-existence. Your children would be healthy if that's what you're worried about."

Kagome unceremoniously flopped back onto her futon from her sitting position and looked up to her dear friend with doubt in her eyes. "That's not the big thing that I'm worried about. Even with a good many relations between two people, there's still a stigma about marrying one's cousin. If this information got around in the village, even though they accept Inuyasha, people would definitely talk. He was tormented enough as a child just for being a half-demon and he is still looked down upon for his parentage. We found out just how far rumors can spread when we were searching for the jewel shards. Inuyasha and our group are known all over Japan. Imagine what he'll have to endure when the rumor starts that 'the half-breed Inuyasha mated the scantily clad priestess who was actually his cousin!'" She said in a mocking tone. "People can be so unforgiving when they want to find flaws in someone. And it won't just be Inuyasha either…our child would have a hard enough time being one-quarter demon. I don't know if I can put a child through that, Sango."

"Kagome, you're getting so far ahead of yourself and becoming flustered in the process…your face and chest is all flushed." Sango teased with a caring smile. "I heard that Myoga arrived this morning to attend the ceremony in a few days. If anyone would know if Izayoi even had a sister, it would be him. We'll look for him in the morning, find out, and go from there. How does that sound? And until then we'll just keep this between us, is that okay?"

"It makes me feel at least a little better that we might be able to find out. Thanks Sango." Kagome said as she sat up and pulled the older girl into a hug.

"No problem, Kagome. Now let's get some rest."

-Morning-

After dressing in the priestess robes that she had started wearing since deciding to remain in the past, Kagome exited the hut and took a deep breath of the damp morning air. Even though she was one of the last to wake in the village it was still an early hour. Despite hating the process of waking up, this was one of her favorite times of day. The sky had yet to turn it's light blue and was still painted with the purples, pinks, and oranges of the rising sun as the moon could be seen in whatever stage it had been in the night before on the opposite end of the sky. The air was cool and fresh and everything was slightly damp as if the earth washed away the negativity of the world of yesterday so that everyone could start anew. It was definitely her favorite time of day.

Kagome walked down the dirt road until she came upon the fields where she knew she would find Sango helping check on crops. She had found out that the slayers village was almost completely self-sufficient. They had grown and harvested their own food and made their own clothing. That meant that not only was Sango a skilled fighter, but she had the knowledge to farm, sew, cook, and do various other tasks around the village. Kagome briefly got a girlish smile as she realized that over the years she had began to idolize Sango as what every woman had the potential to be: feminine, smart, strong, and the equal of the men of her time. "Sango!" She called out as she spotted the slayer and ran to her side. "When should we check into the matter that we discussed last night?" She asked discreetly as to not raise the suspicions of the villagers nearby.

"I'm almost done here," Sango announced as she straightened and dusted her hands off. "If you wait just a few more minutes we can go find Myoga."

"Sounds good to me." Kagome answered as she watched Sango finish the task at hand. The sky was lightening quickly and the last touches of orange and pink were almost gone when Sango said that she was ready to go.

The two searched the village high and low for the old flea demon, but couldn't find anyone who had seen him at all that morning. "I know Miroku said that he arrived yesterday." Sango said in frustration. No sooner had the words left her mouth than a group of pretty, young village girls walked by carrying baskets of vegetables and chatting aimlessly. Kagome and Sango shared a knowing look and quickly caught up with the group.

"Excuse me, girls," Kagome interrupted with a gentle smile, "but would each of you be so kind as to pull your hair back off your shoulders for a moment?"

"Of course, Priestess Kagome." The girl on the end replied with a hint of confusion in her voice. She placed her basket on the ground and lifted her hair and the rest of the girls followed suit.

They checked each girls shoulders until Sango called "Here he is, Kagome. I found the little lecher." And she promptly pulled the tiny demon from the girl's collar.

"Great," Kagome said as she turned back to the girls. "Thanks girls, sorry for the inconvenience. You may continue with what you were doing."

"Yes ma'am." They said as they picked up their baskets again and carried on down the beaten old path. "You, Myoga, are very hard to track down, you know that??"

"Ah, Lady Kagome and Lady Sango…you're both looking well this fine morning. The skin on your neck is looking particularly soft this morning."

"Cut the act, Myoga. What have Inuyasha and I both told you about leaving the girls in this village alone??" Kagome scolded.

Myoga sputtered for a moment before trying to change the subject. "I believe you said that you were trying to find me earlier. What can I help you with, My Lady?"

"We'll go to Sango's home to talk more. I need information on whether or not a certain story could be true or not."

"I will answer your questions to the best of my knowledge." He replied as they made their way back to the small home.

The three entered the hut and sat down after making sure that no others were present. None noticed that the letter was no longer in its previous resting place. "I'll just get straight to the point, Myoga. Did Inuyasha's mother have any siblings? More specifically a twin?"

Thinking on the question a moment he answered, "I believe so. I remember my late Lord commenting once on how striking the resemblance between the two was. And now that I think a little more I saw them both together, but only once mind you. They were completely identical…except for their eyes. I believe Lady Izayoi had brown eyes and her sister had blue eyes. But both were so dark in color that it was hard to tell unless speaking face to face. It's not very often that you find identical twins in this day that both live to a healthy adulthood. Why do you ask?"

Kagome felt her hope leaving her as the color drained from her face. "Umm…Myoga, you wouldn't happen to know what became of Izayoi's sister would you??"

"Well, Lady Izayoi was cast out of her home after My Lord's attack and the birth of Master Inuyasha. Because of this the two sisters were no longer allowed to correspond with one another, but seeing as I would come to check on the young Master I would sometimes relay messages between the two women (both of whom had the delicious blood of the noble women they were). Yes, Lady Hitomi married a young lord from that area and lived a long life. She was very distraught when I brought her the news of her sister's passing. Let's see…now what was the name of that young lord's clan?? Ah yes! It was the Higurashi clan. Higurashi…isn't that your surname Lady Kagome?? Come to think of it you do share a few striking features with her Ladyship."

Sango saw the distant look in her friend's eyes and knew that despite her quiet demeanor on the outside, on the inside she was probably screaming and dying to rip her hair out at the unfolding events. "Thank you, Myoga. I think we have all of the information that we required. You may go now, and remember to stay away from those girls!" Sango called as the flea hopped from the room. "Kagome…are you okay?? I know that this might be a bit…overwhelming, but at least we're the only ones who know. If neither of us say anything and since we already agreed that the blood relation is so far that it won't really matter, then I think it will still be okay. You can marry Inuyasha and nobody will be any the wiser."

Just then Miroku came running into the small home with a distressed look gracing his features. "Sango, where's Kag-OH! There you are, I think we might have a problem…"

~*~*~*~

Earlier that morning found Shippo and Rin wandering into the home that they were currently sharing with Kagome and the others until the ceremony. "Kagome?" Shippo called. "She was supposed to give us another reading lesson today…I wonder where she went." He mused.

"Do you think she would mind if we got the book we were working from to practice without her?" Rin asked the young fox. She noticed how much he had grown since she had first met him. Being a demon he was growing, and would continue to grow, much faster than she would until he reached adulthood. The small kit with the fluffy ball of a tail that she once knew was now as tall as she was, maybe even an inch or so taller. His tail had darkened some to more of an auburn color that matched his hair, but held some cream strands near the tip. Lastly, she had noticed how the ears on the side of his head were shrinking as two velvety triangles were making themselves known on the top of his head to replace them. It made quite an odd sight, but she supposed that's just what his kind went through.

"I don't think she would mind. Wait here while I go find it." And with that Shippo began to dig around in her bags, but couldn't find what he was looking for in any of them. "Where would she put it??" Then he looked to his feet and saw a piece of paper folded inside an open envelope. "A letter…it's already been opened and it's with Kagome's things. I'm sure she won't mind if we practiced with this until she finds our book." With a smile, Shippo ran back to Rin and grabbed her hand as he pulled her out the door and up the hill to where they would sit under a tree and practice their words.

Sometime later the two children were seen running through the village looking for someone to show off their skills in front of. Spotting a figure clad in purple and black, they called out in unison "Miroku, Miroku! Listen!"

Miroku had been chatting with several men and women in the village about trivial things such as how bountiful the crops were turning out that year and the excitement he felt over the birth of his first child in the coming months when he heard the shrill cries and giggles of the children that already lived with him and his wife. "And what is it that you two would like me to listen to?" He said with a fatherly smile that he had adopted easily into his mannerisms.

"We're going to read for you!"

"That would be wonderful." One of the women behind Miroku said. The children of their protector's group were loved by everyone in the village and were watched closely as they grew and learned new things.

Clearing their small throats for dramatic effect, they began to read the letter taking turns reading the sentences before them. The group of adults listened intently and a few chuckles were heard at the enthusiastic words of Kagome's mother. Then they got to the story of her noble ancestors and the chuckles stopped. Most had heard about Inuyasha and his mother when Lord Sesshoumaru had come with the Un-Mother bearing the likeness of Lady Izayoi, so they recognized the name and tale behind it instantly.

Miroku had tried to get the attention of the overzealous children, but they were too wrapped up in their accomplishment that they didn't appear to hear him. "Oh great Buddha in heaven…" Miroku said as he brought a hand to his face. He knew that what he was hearing could, and most likely would, cause trouble for the soon-to-be-newlyweds. Once the children had finished their little presentation all was quiet. Deciding to break that silence, Miroku bent down to the children and asked to see the letter. Once he had it in his hands he said, "I'll take this back to Lady Kagome. You're both reading so well I'm sure you've earned a break for today. Go play with the other children for a while." Standing back up and straightening his robes, Miroku turned to the other adults and excused himself. Once he knew he was out of their line of view he broke out into a run to find Sango.

Once he made it to the hut and found the two women that he needed to talk to he explained what happened. After being told that the two most innocent creatures she had ever come across had just declared what she was hoping to keep secret and possibly destroyed her chance with Inuyasha, Kagome was torn. She knew that she could never be mad at the children, especially for something that they didn't purposefully do, but she wasn't sure whether to cry in mourning of her future or laugh with the pride she felt at the children reading an entire letter on their own. Several minutes of silent reflection later and Kagome took a deep, steadying breath.

"Well…there's nothing I can do about it now. I'm sure that word has already started getting around. I'll just have to see how the village receives this news. Maybe everyone will come to the same conclusion that Sango did, and everyone will continue on as normal?" Kagome knew that she was trying to convince herself more than the couple at either side of her. 'My chest hurts,' she thought. 'I think my heart is actually going to explode…and I feel dizzy…nausea…am I dying?? No, I remember this happening to Mama once. I think I'm having an anxiety attack…oh Lord.'

"I need to lie down."

~*~*~*~

Later that day, after the dizziness and nausea had passed, Kagome was walking through the village as she often did to make her way to the God Tree where Inuyasha would usually be found. But this evening was different. It was hard to ignore the barely concealed whispers and looks of shock as she walked by. She heard many of their comments and each one stung.

"Did you hear that Lady Kagome is actually Master Inuyasha's cousin??"

"Are they still planning on marrying?"

"She hasn't even acknowledged it yet. Was she actually planning to keep this to herself and marry her kinsman?"

The list of questions and comments continued until she made it out of earshot of the village. Once she made it to the tree, she sat on one of the high roots and spoke to the man she knew to be sitting above her. "I suppose you've heard the latest village talk."

"Mmhmm."

"I suppose you've already heard some of the things they're saying about it too."

"Probably more than you have…sensitive hearing and all."

"I also suppose that's why you came out here so you couldn't hear them."

"Yep." His tone was calm and somewhat contemplative in all of his answers. He was taking everything much better than Kagome had hoped. Now for the hard part…

"I suppose you also know that this means I'll be going home to my era."

"Ye…WHAT?!" There was the Inuyasha she knew. "What do you mean you're going home?!" He yelled as he jumped from his branch to land in front of her with a look speaking of shock, anger, and heartache. "I thought this was your home now! What happened to us being together?? You're going to leave just because of a little talk and rumors?!"

"They aren't rumors if they're true, Inuyasha. And this hurts me just as much as it hurts you, but I've made up my mind. If we call off the ceremony and I leave it will be better for everyone. You've had people saying horrible things about you your entire life. I wanted that to end here…in this village…with me. But if we go through with our plans that will never happen."

"Feh," he snorted. "You think my feelings are so fragile that a few mean words are going to make me regret being with you??"

"No…but tell me Inuyasha, what will your answer be when our child comes home crying because the other children won't play with them because their parents are related?? Not only would our son or daughter have to deal with trying to fit in being part demon but also having their parents being cousins??? Inuyasha, was your childhood so long ago that you forgot how cruel and unforgiving children can be just because someone is a little different?? You should know that better than anyone. Either way…I'll be packing my things this evening. We'll let the village know that our wedding plans have been canceled and that I will be returning to my time tomorrow." Kagome got up with tears in her eyes. "And Inuyasha…this doesn't mean that I don't care for you. I just want you to live the best life you can. You deserve it."

Inuyasha stood silent for the first time in a long time as he watched the time traveling priestess who infuriated and thrilled him, the woman who had given him a new lease on life and accepted him unconditionally, walk away from him with tears in her eyes in the waning sunlight.

~*~*~*~

The next morning came far too quickly for Kagome. And time didn't seem to slow down until she was standing in front of the dark, echoing portal through time disguised as a dried up well…alone. She had awoken and had a solemn breakfast with her friends. They knew this would be the last meal they ate together. Kagome didn't want to leave, but felt that it would be best if she did so sooner rather than later.

Sango, in her pregnant and overly emotional state, had cried almost all morning while her normally jovial husband never cracked even the faintest of grins. Inuyasha remained silent for the most part knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of her decision now that it was made. Twice he had asked her if she was sure about her decision and if she wanted to wait another few days or weeks, but she had given him the same answers that he didn't want to hear both times. The people of the village understood her decision more than her friends did.

The hardest part was saying good-bye to the children. Rin, Kohaku, and Shippo were all sniffling and trying to hold in their tears. She knew the two human children had grown noticeable amounts over the time that she had known them, but Shippo had by far had the largest growth spurt. She left little mementos for each: one of her favorite bracelets for Rin that she had seen the girl admiring many times, her trusty yellow backpack for Kohaku as he had been talking of one day traveling the country and helping villages with demon problems, and the small glass vial on a leather strap that had once housed the jewel shards for Shippo. After asking if he could have something he could keep inside and getting a positive response, he reached up and with one of his sharp claws he cut a small lock of hair from her head and placed in the jar.

Sango and Miroku had agreed to look after and raise Rin and Shippo with Kohaku and their own child. Kagome was grateful for this and felt that she could leave with at least a tiny bit less guilt knowing that the children would at least be taken care of. She asked Inuyasha to promise to stay with the village and the group and protect them, a promise that he readily made. In a final act of love for the man who had brought so much adventure and joy into her life, Kagome reached up to remove his rosary but was stopped by clawed hand that gripped her wrist firmly.

"Leave them on. You never know if you might come back…and if you do I won't mind too much if you say the 'S-word'…just once though." He threw in for good measure.

"Okay…" she choked out around tears that were dangerously close to cascading down her cheeks. With a final hug for each of her dear friends, Kagome picked up her bags and headed off to the well alone, wanting to remember the last time she saw her friends to be in their village where they would live the rest of their lives.

And now she stood, trying to gather her bearings before jumping into the darkness and through the time slip for what would probably be the last time. Balancing the several bags that she had with her, Kagome stood up on the lip of the well and took one final deep breath of the clean air of the past as the wind caressed her face before she left it all behind for good. Then just as she was about to step off of the edge and into the abyss of space and time a voice of deep baritone and silk sounded behind her, "And where do you think you are going, Priestess?"

~*~*~*~

AN:  
TA-DA?? I know it took forever, but I'm honestly kinda glad that I took forever to come out with this chapter instead of rushing and going with any of the others that I started. It came out much better than the others possibly could have. I'm really wanting this to be a good story, so I'm probably gonna be really particular about it and the chapters. Well I'm gonna keep this AN short and sweet. I'm really sorry about taking so long and the rest should go better from here on out. I'd love to hear what you guys think about what I returned with, I hope it was worth the ridiculously long wait…if anyone feels the need to yell at me for it, I'll take it because I know I kinda (really) deserve it. Well…see you next chapter everyone!  
PS- Hitomi (my name for Izayoi's sister) is a Japanese girls name that actually means 'blue eyes'…thank you haha

Totally semi-unrelated funny story time:  
My hair used to be down to my waist and a couple of months ago I got it pretty much chopped off to a few inches above my shoulders. It's taken some adjusting to because I had forgotten how much natural body my hair has to it and that it tends to try and defy the laws of gravity. Well while I was writing this I would pause from time to time to read over what I just wrote and would run my fingers through my hair, pushing it back and up over my head. WELL……this resulted (for those of you familiar with your YuYu Hakusho characters) in a hairstyle that was half Hiei/Half Yusuke. It was sticking almost straight up towards the back of my head, but my bangs were smoothed back like Yusuke's hair haha! I got up once and looked at my hair as I passed by a mirror in the hallway and I nearly died!


	3. A message from your author

A message from your author:

Greetings to all! I wanted to announce my return and give everyone a heads up about the changes that I'm planning. I'm not sure if these sorts of messages are allowed to be posted as chapters, but this notice will be coming down soon.

So here's how it is:

I'm back and intend to take up writing again.

As far as the changes that I'm planning…well, short version, I'm basically going to rewrite or revise all of my chapter stories. If you like them exactly as they are now, I suggest that you save them as documents to your own computer, and I'm sorry that that particular version may remain unfinished. They will come down and/or be replaced. I estimate that these changes are going to start in the next couple of days, but I'm not sure what story they will happen to first.

If you would like a more detailed account of why I will be changing them or what kinds of changes I will be making to the individual stories, I put it all on my profile page.

I thank you for reading my works in the past, and I hope you'll stick around for the new and improved versions that will be coming soon.

All the best,  
ConsistentlyInconsistent


End file.
